1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to support structures, and specifically to a compact truss system for supporting lighting and scenery for the musical, theatrical, industrial, television and motion picture fields.
2. Description of the Related Art
Concert entertainers, touring theatrical troupes, industrial shows, and other groups or entities from the entertainment industry often schedule extended tours consisting of a small number of performances in each of a large number of cities. Immediately after the final performance at a venue is completed, the sets and ancillary equipment used during the show are struck, repackaged for transport, and placed on board moving vans which then drive to the next venue where the sets and equipment are again deployed. In order to compete effectively for consumer dollars by meeting constantly growing expectations by the entertainment seeking public for more elaborate spectacles, shows are increasingly making use of sophisticated lighting systems and frequent changes of scenic backdrops. For example, the direction, intensity and color of each of a plurality of spotlights or other luminaires can be individually controlled by a computer driving a servomechanism to which each light is attached so as to orchestrate complex dynamic lighting effects.
As the sophistication and complexity of stage equipment, particularly lighting systems, for touring shows have increased, the time required to set up and tear down equipment, the number and skill level of stage hands required, and the susceptibility to damage of fragile components to setting up and tearing down, as well as to rolling on and off the transport vehicles, all have become increasingly important factors impacting tour profitability. Equipment broken or jarred so as to be inoperable must be repaired or replaced in time for the next performance. Equipment which is difficult to assemble, disassemble and align can require training and maintaining an unacceptably large and relatively well paid stage crew. After equipment has been erected at a new location and hoisted above the stage, there is likely to be continuing need for the crew to access in-place components for fine-tuning. Set geometries may need to be reconfigured to accommodate the constraints of smaller theaters and convention halls. There is thus a tradeoff between recurring costs for operation and maintenance, and the simplicity of assembly, maintenance and tear down. The movie and television industries face exactly the same concerns.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,336 to Richardson et al. discloses a truss unit for supporting a plurality of stage lights which allows each light to direct a beam about an arc of 360.degree. without beam interference by the truss unit, and which protectively encases the stage lights during transportation. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,392,187 to Bornhorst and 4,512,117 to Lange also dislose truss units which support stage lights but which require either removing the lights from the units prior to transportation or adding protective structures. However, none of these units provide for all of the following: quick and easy adjustment to the height of equipment components suspended therefrom; quick and easy assembly and disassembly; accessing components for replacement or manual adjustment; raising and lowering components easily, by individual unit, when multiple units are connected to form a single structure; joining units at angles to form non-linear truss structures; requiring a minimal clearance in operation protecting mounted components from shock when a unit is subjected to severe jarring or otherwise is roughly handled or transported; or the option of transporting in a horizontal or vertical disposition, thereby maximizing available trunk space.